An incident on Thursday night that began with the discovery of a border runner in the U.S. and 83 pounds of suspected meth is believed to be linked to a car crash and the seizure of more drugs in Abbotsford not long afterwards.

The incident took place Thursday night and began in the U.S. east of the Sumas border crossing.

U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) said in a press release that agents spotted “multiple subjects” illegally cross from Canada into the U.S., and one agent encountered two people with large backpacks.

The release states that one of the people assaulted the agent by striking him in the chest, and a struggle ensued.

The two subjects were able to get away, and they returned to Canada. The agent was not injured.

USBP says two abandoned backpacks were then discovered, and they contained 83 pounds of a substance believed to be methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $800,000.

USBP alerted the Abbotsford Police Department (APD) and the RCMP of the incident at about 8:40 p.m., saying that two people had run the border in the area of Boundary and Angus Campbell roads in Abbotsford.

APD Sgt. Judy Bird said, as officers were en route to that area, police received a report that a vehicle had crashed in the 1300 block of Angus Campbell Road.

A second call came in from a citizen, reporting that a man and a child had come to his/her home.

Police found the crashed vehicle upside down in a ditch, and discovered two large backpacks containing a “significant amount” of suspected meth, Bird said.

Police located the man and child, took the man into custody, and notified the Ministry of Children and Family Development. The child was released to the mother, but the ministry is still involved, Bird said.

She said the man and child are Canadian citizens.

Bird said the incidents – which are believed to be linked – are continuing to be investigated by the APD, USBP, the Integrated Border Enforcement Team and the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office.

“This incident is an example of the threats and risks faced by United States Border Patrol agents as they work to secure the border,” said acting chief patrol agent Chris Bippley.

“The arrests and significant seizure of suspected narcotics also highlights the exceptional relationship between the United States Border Patrol and Canadian law enforcement partners.”

No charges have yet been laid, and no further details have been released.